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Ace007 Asked March 2023

Mother lives alone and has health issues. What are my options finding someone to look out for her?

My mother live in NJ in section 8 housing, big building. She lives alone and has someone come and clean her home and some other chores. She is on medicare/medicaid. Last year I was able to get her into an assisted living facility (alaris) but when she was better (she has some dementia) she asked to be discharged and went back to her apartment. She has gotten worse since and lives alone at home. I live in Europe, so can't help her much from here. Is there a source like a case manager or something she can get that will look out for her? Like I said, she gets some home care but she spends weekends alone, in and out out of hospital. I tried to bring to come live with me in Europe but due to her health issues she can't fly.


Basically what I am looking for is if there is a service that medicare or medicaid will cover that will look out for her and care for her while she is still in her apartment?


Thank you

AlvaDeer Mar 2023
I agree with others that guardianship of the state may be what is needed here. If you are POA or guardian for your Mom with her dementia there is no way you can operate from where you are to care for and protect her, especially with dementia involved and the fact it will worsen.

You are in Europe and may be thinking there are more resources to care for citizens than there really are here. I think you are best to contact the local APS and agree with others that you should let them know if/that you are not able to be POA or guardian from another continent. And let them know there is no one else. As Mom is already on medicaid and she already has some help and she already is in Section 8 I am wondering if there is a Social Worker involved in her case/care? If so I would contact that person at once to discuss options, but you must make it clear you cannot operate to manage her care from a continent away.

JoAnn29 Mar 2023
No Medicare does not pay for the help ur looking for. Its health insurance. Medicaid, especially in NJ is limited in the help they can give. Especially now when there is a shortage of aides. Where I live in the Southwest of the State, we have warehousing going up all over and aides can make better money working in a warehouse.

You need to contact Adult Protection Services to do an evaluation on Mom. You can allow them to take over her care but that means you will not be in the decision making. She will be placed in a LTC facility and that will be where they can find her a room. Unless u want to fund an AL.

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Geaton777 Mar 2023
A case manage could be helpful but guardianship may be what's now needed (assuming there is no PoA). It may still be possible for her to assign a DPoA but she has to want to do it and pay for it. Otherwise report her to APS as a vulnerable adult and they will eventually move to acquire guardianship and will then take over managing all her affairs. There won't be much oversight from the county until things get really bad for her. This has been my experience, but in another state.

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